Bear School Astartes

Chapter 3: 3. Malicious Ghost, Turtle-shaped Stone

Lann first cautiously used the fan smelling method, wafting a wisp of mist to smell.

He needed to determine whether this magic mist was inherently toxic or had other harmful effects.

If the biological computer picked up from the journey through the Void Sea had extra computational power, he could simply reach out a finger to touch it to determine the mist’s effect on him.

Unfortunately, the computational power of brain cells was currently repurposed.

Thus, a smart brain from a high-tech world was limited to this function.

A slight pungency hit his nasal cavity but was quickly adapted to by the Demon Hunter’s body.

Lann slightly nodded, knowing that this poison could burn a regular person’s lungs within five minutes.

However, for the Demon Hunter’s body, it would only cause discomfort but not harm him within half an hour.

No impact on combat readiness.

The thin leather boots cautiously stepped into the mist’s range.

With a ”swish” sound, as Lann cautiously moved forward, he drew the steel sword from his back.

A wooden handle with an iron-gray steel crossguard and blade.

A Velen Longsword, the embodiment of the province’s cheap and inferior reputation.

No restraining effect like a silver sword, but it wouldn’t be ”ineffective” against physical monsters.

According to Lann’s knowledge, this demon hunting mission came from the elder of a nearby village.

According to him, a delicacy of fungi grows in this valley, only flourishing here.

It’s the only commodity their village could sell at a decent price to merchants in Velen’s capital—Gos Velen.

But a year ago, this mist suddenly appeared, and those who went to harvest the fungi never returned.

So now, their village doesn’t even have a single intact durable iron farming tool.

Because they have no money.

When the two Demon Hunter apprentices arrived, the village gathered its last resources, fifty-three Orens.

To hire these two wicked and filthy ”mutants” to eliminate the ”evil mist in the valley.”

At that time, when the village elder flung the advance payment to the two, his disdainful and fearful demeanor was like having to interact with two lepers.

This constantly reminded Lann’s modern mind that even though he was away from his ”Teacher,” his current situation was anything but favorable.

But priorities must be established; future difficulties can be addressed later.

The immediate danger must be faced now.

Lann’s amber cat eyes slightly stung in the toxic mist.

Yet he didn’t blink even once to moisten his eyes.

The sensory enhancements induced by the Demon Hunter’s mutation began to activate.

This human enhancement achieved through bacteria, magic potions, and magic power can greatly amplify and alter the original human senses.

To enable the Demon Hunter to fulfill the mission they were designed for by mages—to single-handedly hunt monsters.

The thin leather boots scraped against the grass on the ground, making a rustling sound as faint as insects.

”There’s no heavy breathing here, not even the strong heartbeat of a monster... it’s very quiet.”

In Lann’s ears, only his and Bordeaux’s footsteps were audible.

Bordeaux’s footsteps and heartbeat were even lighter than his own.

It’s unimaginable that that was the footsteps of a muscular giant nearly 1.9 meters tall wearing a thick composite armor.

Terrifying physical control and basic attributes.

Lann could even imagine in his mind, like in the movies, using one hand to lift an adult by the neck and snapping the cervical spine with the palm.

His Demon Hunter ”Master” could indeed do it!

And just as Lann was groping forward, his sense of touch and hearing simultaneously detected some unusual noise.

The cat eyes’ vertical pupils focused and changed.

”Under the ground... trembling? Excavation!”

The earth and rocks were being dug, and something was moving beneath the soil layer!

——This is not a Fog Demon!

Without thinking, Lann arched his back like a startled cat and instantly straightened.

Like an elastic spring, he bounced a meter away.

With a ”splash” sound, a hideous humanoid claw burst from the earth!

Immediately afterward, the entire body of the monster emerged from the soil.

A humanoid form, though somewhat short, about the height of a dwarf, reaching the stomach of an ordinary human.

Its gray-white skin was bare, and its blood-streaked mouth grinned a fierce smile. Layers of excess skin piled on its neck, making it impossible to see the neck, slick and disgusting.

Lann’s hand gripping the sword relaxed and then tightened, repeatedly verifying his grip.

This is a revenant, same as a Fog Demon, a carrion eater, with weaker solo combat strength than a Fog Demon, but with one difference.

——They are complete pack creatures!

There is a saying on this continent, ”If monsters are truly clumsy, a pack makes them happy”.

”Oooo ya ya!”

Countless cries began to come from the fog.

Lann’s heart sank, his ”master” for the sake of convenience, had even judged the monster type incorrectly!

Squinting eyes glanced back, the looming giant figures in the thick fog did not intend to advance immediately.

Lann understood his thoughts.

Although Fog Demons and Ghouls rarely live together, since there are ”tools” leading the charge... why not confirm it?

Safety and caution never hurt.

The sturdy figure, coldly observed the confrontation between the monsters and the Demon Hunter.

Consider it a blessing in disguise; Lann had never fully entrusted his life and fortune to Bordeaux.

”Seventeen Ghouls, can only use Quen and Swordsmanship...”

Cat eyes scanned around, Lann calculated in his mind.

Quen and Swordsmanship were the main courses arranged by his ”teacher”.

Seventeen Ghouls, enough to slaughter a village in the sparsely populated Velen.

Villages in Velen, including the elderly and women, often only number twenty to thirty people.

Facing this level of enemy, a young man had undergone the Demon Hunter mutation just a month ago, wielding a sword and learning the Magic Seal for only three weeks.

Yet his expression remained as icy as a block of ice.

”Hmm, I can hold it!”

Three weeks, for a well-nourished human, even mechanically chopping wood with an axe, mastering the correct energy-saving movement takes a week of focused work!

This only seeks correct movement, not guaranteeing accuracy each chop.

Incorporating factors like posture, terrain variation, physique differences in Swordsmanship, just basic training meeting standards can take one or two years.

Now, a young man who held a sword for only three weeks comes to rational and clear recognition of his abilities.

Not only does he ”hold on”... he can even ”perform convincingly” under the premise!

Lann completed the assessment of the enemy and their strength, while the monsters lost their last shred of calm facing the fresh flesh delivered to them.

It’s unclear which Ghoul struck first, anyway... the battle began.

~~~~~~

Four soldiers wearing Temeria standard armor were now closing in on the valley shrouded in the Magic Fog.

They spat from horseback, laughed, cursed, and swapped crude jokes.

Yet the smiles on their faces and eyes carried a trace of coldness.

That was the indifference to life and battle belonging to soldiers.

Among them, there was a Crossbowman, an Archer, a Long Halberd Soldier, and a Sword and Shield Soldier.

The Sword and Shield Soldier was the captain of this enforcement team.

The shield on his back still looked quite new, with Temeria’s white lily crest printed on the blue background.

The Crossbowman had just told a joke about a prostitute and a werewolf, and the strange laughter of the group lasted quite a while before stopping.

After the laughter, he turned to his captain.

”I say, Captain...” He said hesitantly. ”We won’t... won’t fall into the hands of that mutant freak...”

Before the captain could respond, the Long Halberd Soldier spat.

”I say, you’re not scared, are you? We have four skilled men here! I guarantee, as soon as that freak shows up, arrows from you two will get right into his flesh, without the need for me and the captain to do much. You have a crossbow! A fine crossbow! Who can dodge a crossbow arrow?”

The Long Halberd Soldier shook his head relaxedly.

”But...” The Crossbowman’s thoughts were still hesitant. ”I’ve heard, people say, those freaks can use, they can use magic!”

With the mention of ”magic”, the atmosphere suddenly became heavy, even the most relaxed Long Halberd Soldier shivered.

Like being tainted by something filthy.

Then it was time for the captain to speak.

”Don’t worry.” The captain raised a pendant in his hand.

It was a stone carved into the shape of a turtle.

”Viserad gave instructions long ago, I brought the Turtle-shaped Stone. Those dirty magic that cannot see the light won’t come near us.”

All the soldiers knew, the ordinary people also rumored that Turtle-shaped Stones could restrain magic.

How could that be wrong?

So the group relaxed once more, even the Crossbowman smiled widely.

Soon, following a path through the forest, they reached the front of the valley.